Healing a heart
by JustMe-Liz
Summary: Outlaw Queen - Robin and Regina after the events of 3x22. Will contain spoilers for the season finale.


**A/N: I needed to get this out of my system before going to work. It's a one shot that wasn't supposed to be… I just had to mend my broken Outlaw Queen heart a little. **

**DISCLAIMER: If it was mine, Marian would have stayed dead.**

She wasn't going to cry. She refused! She wasn't going to…

Regina let out a furious breath and wiped her gloved hands against her wet cheeks, her shoulders shivering slightly as she walked towards the mayoral mansion with determined footsteps.

She wasn't going to cry.

She wouldn't allow them to see her weak and yet… The pain was nearly unbearable. After all this time she had finally managed to say goodbye to Daniel's memory and open her heart to love again, only to have it destroyed by Emma Swan. It was hardly fair – seeing Robin jump right back into another woman's arms without so much as a second glance at her. Her front door seemed like the gateway to a safe haven and she stretched her steps, keeping herself from running inside and shutting out the world for once and all. Only once she was inside, did Regina give in to the tears that had been threatening to fall ever since the return of Marian.

Robin's wife.

The empty wine glasses on the floor in the living room only served as a painful reminder of what he had lost and she sank to her knees, trying to force Robin's hopeful voice out of her head.

_Maybe things work out when they're supposed to. Maybe it's all about timing._

Her lips burned with the memory of his on hers and had it been possible, she would have gladly cut them from her body if it would mean it would stop hurting.

A strangled cry escaped her lips as she flung the glasses across the room and she fell forward, tears streaming over her face endlessly.

Perhaps she just didn't deserve to be happy. Perhaps people like her truly did not deserve happy endings.

Villains.

How she hated Emma Swan!

Her hand moved to rest against her chest, feeling the steady beat of her heart – the heart that Robin had returned to her, only to break once again. It wasn't a conscious decision, she wasn't even aware of the fact that her hands were moving before she stared at the heart in her hands.

If only she had the courage to crush it herself – it would be less painful. Anything would be less painful.

Even with her heart out of her chest, the pain was still there – it seemed as though there was nothing she could do to stop it and she waved her hands automatically.

Her vault looked the same as ever – dreary, dark and dangerous. She carefully placed her heart into a box before nimble fingers moved over the various magical ingredients she had stored in there.

Everything was there.

She had everything she needed to do this and her hands worked quickly; ignoring the foul smells that rose around her as the curse bubbled and boiled.

Then it was done and she took a deep breath, staring at the needle as though in a trance.

One prick – it would take only one prick and all the pain would be gone.

oOoOo

He felt it the second she fell – he had no idea how, he just knew that it felt as though his heart was ripped out and torn to shreds. Robin doubled over with a muffled scream, and Marian looked at her husband with wide eyes.

"Robin?"

He couldn't answer, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't think… One thought managed to play over and over in his mind, as though it was on repeat. One thought managed to break through the pain and he let out a shuddering breath, clutching at his heart.

"Regina…"

Marian gasped and took a step back, aghast at the pain she was witnessing in her husband's demeanour.

"Robin, what is she doing to you, my love?"

He had to find her. He had to save her, wherever she was… she was in danger and he had to find her. He managed to look up, noticing Emma and her parents approaching – everything around him blurred and he shook his head, panting.

"She… is hurt. Regina is hurt, I need to find her."

Marian seemed truly confused and she looked from Robin to Emma with doe-like eyes.

"What's he talking about? What is the Evil Queen doing to him?"

He wanted to object to her using the Evil moniker, but he was in too much pain to respond and he fell to the ground, gasping for air.

David was next to him instantly, helping the other man to his feet. He couldn't stand, not when she was hurt… he had to find her. Robin managed to look at David, the pain in his eyes cutting through the other man.

"I need to find her. I need to… she has to know how I feel."

"How you feel?"

Marian's voice was sharp and Robin looked up at her, a pang of hurt scratching at his heart.  
It was true – years ago, he would have walked through hell and back to have her in his arms once more, but he had accepted her death and opened himself up to love again. He had spent a lifetime drowning and Regina saved him. Granted, loving Marian was easier – they shared a history and she was _good._ But Regina was _it._

There was no other way to describe it. It was true love. It didn't make what he had to do less painful.

"I'm sorry, Marian. I do love you, I will always love you, but… I said goodbye to you. I accepted that you were gone and Regina… I can't help how I feel about her. I can't change it and to be honest… I don't think I want to. She saved me and… I loved her."

Marian's pained cries tore through him, but he had to make his way out of the diner and look for Regina.

He had to find her.

oOoOo

The house was a dead end – the only indication that she had been there being the shattered glasses against the wall. Robin moved his hand to rest against his chest, feeling the rhythmic beating of his heart. Charming moved towards him and rested a hand on his shoulder. The man was insufferable, but Robin was quite glad he had invited himself along – he could drive and for Robin, cars were still a little too foreign.

"I don't know where she is."

Charming smiled – that ever positive smile he shared with his wife.

"Listen to your heart. Let it lead you… What do you feel?"

"Right now? Just… pain. It feels like my heart is physically being torn into pieces… I don't know where she'd go."

The description of his aching heart sounded all too familiar and Charming froze, his blue eyes widening.

"I think I do. Come on, we need to hurry!"

The drive to Regina's vault was silent – only interrupted by pained groans from Robin every now and then. The pain intensified the closer they got and he bent over, breathing heavily. Charming glanced at Robin sympathetically – he could easily guess what was going on and he knew from experience that the pain Robin was experiencing was intense and near unbearable. Though, it was nothing compared to the pain he suspected Regina felt at the moment.

"It's my fault. I was so happy to see Marian alive, I didn't even look at Regina. I didn't tell her that I'd still choose her – no matter what. As much as I love Marian, she is my past. Regina… my future is with her and I never told her as much. Whatever she's done… it's my fault."

There was no proper response, so Charming nodded silently – stopping the car when they reached their destination. Robin was out of the car before it came to a complete standstill and his feet moved forward of their own accord. He had no idea how he knew where to go – he just did.

His world seemed to stop spinning when he noticed the still figure on the ground and he fell on his knees next to her, shaking his head.

"No… no, no, no… Regina… wake up. Please, my love… wake up."

He could heart the faint beating of a heart and he looked at the box next to her limp body. He knew even before opening it what it would contain and he took the heart into his hands gently.

"I'm sorry… I was careless with this, but I never will be again. I promise that you will always know how much I love you. Please… just wake up."

It was a strange feeling, returning her heart, and he waited for the rush of breath when it settled in her chest again. There was no change in her demeanour and although the heartbeat he could feel under his palm was steady, it was faint. Tears formed in his eyes and he shook his head, unable to cope with the pain. She was gone… he didn't want to accept it, but it truly seemed that she was gone.

"Regina, please… I can't lose you!"

He bent forward and allowed his lips to brush over hers, gasping as magic swept over them.

"Regina!"

His outcry was filled with joy and relief when she opened her eyes and he helped her to sit up in his arms, his lips attaching themselves to hers again.

"I love you. I love you so much."

She seemed confused and pushed him away slightly, her eyes troubled.

"Marian… your wife… she's back."

Robin nodded and kissed her again, wiping tears from his eyes.

"I said goodbye to her once… and it broke my heart. You fixed it, Regina… It broke my heart to lose Marian, but losing you… It would kill me. I love you more than I ever thought possible."

Regina smiled through her tears and wrapped her arms around his neck, her body shaking with sobs.

"I love you too… I love you so much."

They laughed through their tears and looked at each other, each reading the obvious adoration in the other's eyes. Robin moved his hand to rest on Regina's chest. Her heartbeat was getting stronger and he revelled in the feel of it against his palm.

"I will take care of your heart… for the rest of my life."

Regina covered his hand with hers, smiling gently.

"I'd have it no other way."

"I love you, my queen…"

"And I love you, my thief."

They shared another smile before Robin bowed his head to meet her lips in another kiss.

True love's kiss.


End file.
